sexual health

if you have had sex, you should get tested.

That’s the bottom line. Any time you are sexually active there can be risk of getting an STD. The only way to not be at risk is to have sex with only one other person for life and for the two of you to only have sex with each other. Other than that, there is risk of STDs.

Using condoms can reduce your risk of STD infection, but doesn’t get rid of it. Some STD’s such as Herpes only need skin to skin contact to spread. Makes you wonder what that condom might not be covering…

Male signs and symptoms: Burning with urination, discharge from penis, swollen genitals, If left untreated, may lead to epididymitis (which is the swelling of the tube inside the man’s genitals.) Modes of transmission: Vaginal, oral or anal sex. Mother to child.

Bacterial: Curable with antibiotics. Ejaculation does not have to occur for gonorrhea to be transmitted or acquired. Complications: infection of the eye, gonorrhea of the throat and mouth, systemic infection, PID in women, epididymitis in men.

Signs and symptoms in females: Often no symptoms, vaginal discharge, burning with urination, pain/bleeding with sex.

Signs and symptoms in males: Often no symptoms, burning/pain with urination, discharge, swollen genitals.
Modes of transmission: Vaginal, oral and anal sex. Mother to child.

Viral: no cure. Most common infection-causing STD. Many different types of HPV. Some strains cause genital warts, and others can lead to cervical cancer or other kinds of cancer. Most people who have HPV don’t know they are infected.

Signs and Symptoms: Genital warts, cervical cancer that may be detected by a routine pap test, Other forms of cancer- may not have symptoms until they have advanced.

Bacterial parasite: curable with antibiotics. Most common curable STD.

Modes of transmission: penis to vagina intercourse, or vulva to vulva

Signs and symptoms for females: Foul smelling, frothy discharge, vaginal irritation/redness, pain during sex, burning with urination? Signs and symptoms for males: Most men do not have symptoms but some have: irritation inside the penis, mild discharge, burning with urination or ejaculation.

std facts

At least 8 out of 10 women with Chlamydia and Gonorrhea infections are without symptoms. These infections are detected primarily through screening.

Each year, there are almost 3 million new cases of Chlamydia. The CDC recommends that sexually active females 25 and under should be screened at least once a year for Chlamydia, even if no symptoms are present.

As with other inflammatory STDs, Chlamydia infection can increase your risk of contracting HIV infection.